Should you take Vitamin D?

For several years now, I have advised against the use of daily high dose vitamin D supplementation. 
 

There are some controversial thoughts on vitamin D in the functional health space. It's not as simple as "if this one blood marker is low, take this amount of vitamin D from a bottle" and you will solve the problem.  

Here are just a few reasons or causes of low vitamin D status in the body (there are more!):

  • Obesity

  • Lack of movement

  • Lack of sun exposure

  • Lack of vitamin D in diet

  • Low magnesium

  • Low boron

  • Glutathione deficiency

  • Insufficient calcium intake

  • Certain levels of gut bacteria

  • Environmental pollutants

  • Absorption issues

  • Inflammation

  • Certain medications


What is the root cause of your low vitamin D levels? In most situations, it is a reflection of a metabolic disturbance, and not a causative factor. 
 

When you look at the mounting level of research coming our way, I think it's time to consider the fact that promoting vitamin D supplementation might not be all that helpful, in fact, it can be harmful. Read more about the dangers of too much vitamin D.


Since I work with mostly women, and many with thyroid dysfunction, I think it's important to note that supplementing with vitamin D can impact your thyroid - read more HERE. 

There is a safer way to work on vitamin D status. Nature always knows best. The primary source of vitamin D is the sun, and it is found naturally in some whole foods. Keep in mind, the way the body responds to a man-made supplement of vitamin D from a bottle, is not the same as how it responds to sunshine on exposed skin or in whole foods.

A great food source of vitamin D is through cod liver. I always prefer food based and not synthetic nutrients to meet my needs, if at all possible. Cod liver oil is full of vitamin A and vitamin D, as well as the omegas, all of which play a role in helping inflammation.

Not all cod liver oil is created equal. A few cod liver oil brands I trust are Dropi, Green Pastures, and Rosita. Use code HEALTHWEALTH for 10% off your order.

As we head into winter and you don't have access to the sunshine, you can use infrared light therapy. Not all red light or infrared light is created equal. You want to find one that mimics the sun. SaunaSpace has a great option - I use the Glow Infrared Therapy Light. It's a convenient tool that is lightweight and portable. I set it up on my desk to get the benefits while I work, or you can put it next to you while relaxing on the couch. Use my SaunaSpace discount code HEALTHWEALTH for an additional 10% savings ON TOP of the sale price HERE. Sale ends Dec. 8.

Hopefully this helps you understand why I don't recommend daily high doses of man-made vitamin D.

Dr. JoAnn Manson sums it up well:
"Vitamin D may never have been the miracle pill that it appeared to be. Sick people who stay in doors tend to have low Vitamin D levels; their poor health is likely the cause of their low vitamin D levels, not the other way around."

In Your Corner,
Karri 

Other resources: 

Curious about what functional nutritional therapy is all about? Listen HERE or on your favorite podcast platform to learn more.

Want to know if nutritional therapy can help you? Book a discovery call with me to chat more about your health. Schedule a Discovery Call HERE.

Here's what I follow to learn more about issues affecting children's health HERE. 

Here's what I follow as a source of news HERE.

A list of my recommended health and wellness products can be found HERE.

Karri Ball